THE

TRIANGLE,

FIFTH SERIES OF NUMBERS.

BY

THE INVESTIGATOR.

NEW-YORK:

PRINTED ANd published for the AUTHOR.

Van Winkle, Wiley, & Co., Printers.

1817.

B

State of New-York, ss: E IT REMEMBERBD, that on the tenth day of May, in the forty-first year of the Independence of the United States of America, VAN WINKLE & WILEY, of the said district, have deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof they claim as proprietors, in the words following, to wit:

"The Triangle. Fifth Series of Numbers. By The Investigator."

IN CONFORMITY to the act of Congress of the United States, entitled, "An act for the "encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the "authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned;" and also, to an act, entitled, "An act, supplementary to an act, entitled, an act for the encourage"ment of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and "proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the "benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other "prints."

THERON Rudd,

Clerk of the Southern District of New-York.

PREFACE

TO

THE FIFTH SERIES.

THIS series will close the first part of the Triangle, a work which has roused a storm of indignation and fury, whose rage appears not yet to be wholly spent. I have been quite happy, however, to perceive, that it has hitherto been harmless in its progress, as it has unroofed no buildings on the land, nor unmoored any vessels in the harbour, though it has been attended with great noise, with most obstreperous clamours, some "gnashing of teeth," and terrible threats of vengeance.

A point blank shot was some time since aimed at the Triangle, or rather The Investigator, but it was, perhaps, lucky for him that this shot was discharged, not from the Great Gun, but from a very little GUNN,

of short barrel, and wide caliber; and it appears, from some oversight in loading, that the powder was so inadequate to the weight of the charge, that the whole load fell on the ground, not many yards from the muzzle, where it still lies, and may be seen by those whose curiosity may prompt inspection. The wad smoked a little, affording a delightful fumigation for triangular noses, but soon went out.

The general object of the Triangle has been to expose the spirit of intolerance and persecution, become so conspicuous, so bold, and daring, in this city, for the last few years, and so insupportably oppressive to a certain class of people. A long train of events speaks with a voice of thunder on this subject: A numerous and powerful phalanx of men have long since laid off the mask-have boldly avowed the purpose of restraining the opinions of the immense population of this city, to their own creed— or, shall I say, to their own narrow and contracted views of the great doctrines of religion.

The attempts of an individual to breast the torrent of popular opinion are always considered by the weak and wavering as hopeless and useless, by the leaders and demagogues of the multitude, as audacious and wicked; of course, they are seldom made : for some, consulting their ease and popularity, others